1993 Suzuki Sidekick Timing Belt Failure

MOTORMAN900

MEMBER

1993 SUZUKI SIDEKICK

4 CYL

2WD

MANUAL

99,000 MILES

I had a mechanic replace my timing belt and tensioner just for a routine 60-90,000 maintenance tune-up. While driving about a week later my car shut down and engine failed due to the timing belt falling out of the route. I had the belt replaced and thought that all was checked and fixed, however just recently the car did the same thing and shut down in the middle of the highway. I had a new mechanic inspect the problem and this time the timing belt was snapped in half. The time before that it had been pushing foward until it melted a hole in the cover. Now it snapped in half. He aligned the tensioner, correlated the crank and cam, tightened the belt properly and made sure everything was working properly to his knowledge and I watched him do the whole thing. What could be causing the belt to spring out/fall off of the mechanism?

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Thursday, July 9th, 2009 AT 3:17 PM

6 Replies

DOCFIXIT

EXPERT

Hi
Just speculation but think first belt tension was too little allowing belt to walk offf cam gear. Second belt was over adjusted and snaped. This time could be right. Was tensioner pully replaced and spring? If no spring it maybe weakened and can't apply proper tension.
Thanks for donate

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Friday, July 10th, 2009 AT 3:21 PM

MOTORMAN900

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My mechanic checked the spring, plate, and tensioner and there was nothing to his knowledge that were wrong with them. He said that it could be the crank timing sprocket - it may be on an angle caused by a replacement error by a prior mechanic. I'm planning on buying a new sprocket as it is not expensive at all. Is there anything else you can think of that could be causing it to ride off?

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Tuesday, July 14th, 2009 AT 1:15 PM

DOCFIXIT

EXPERT

Check for any movement in tensioner pully. Any side to side movement even small is not servicable.

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Tuesday, July 14th, 2009 AT 1:37 PM

MOTORMAN900

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My neighbor (who's knowledgable about mechanics) also told me that the Cam gear could be worn down and at an angle as well causing the belt to slip or ride off the gears.

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Thursday, July 16th, 2009 AT 12:54 PM

DOCFIXIT

EXPERT

Yes that could be place new belt on gear should be a tight fit.

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Thursday, July 16th, 2009 AT 2:03 PM

KICK-FIX

MEMBER

Idler wheel bearing inside seized.

Thee top or bottom cogs are worn, and no longer square.
Start motor with cover off. And see if it runs true,
if not buy new cogs.
Luckly suzuki sells them for $20 each, very cheap.

Also there is an new style and old style cog.
One has square teeth and other rounded.
Buy a gates belt for your exact year. It will fit.